The Art of Living
by FireAndIceGurl
Summary: This story is set after the war, Severus (Who survives the war) and Hermione are trying to get used to not having the same burden on their shoulders. When Hermione becomes Severus's apprentice they realize how similar they are and how much they have in common. Will they come together or be to stubborn and stay apart.
1. Diclaimer

Okay, so this is going to be a story about Hermione Granger and Severus Snape (Who yes did survive the war) who have finally gotten the burden of the war off their shoulders and have no idea how to cope with the situation. They won't get together right away but it won't take forever either so I hope you keep reading and join me on this journey.

**Disclaimer:** This is my first FanFic but I have read numerous others so I know what I am doing. I am also very good at writing, I have been told. Not trying to be cocky, so here we go... Hope this turns out good.

**Chapter One will be up soon. **


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I am in no way J.k Rowling the loveable characters belong to her I am merely just playing with them.

**Chapter 1:**

Relief washed through Hermione like none had before when she realized that the war was over and there was no Voldemort around anymore to wreak havoc. It seemed almost not real more like not possible at all. Her world was spinning; she couldn't focus on one thing. A thousand things were flying in her mind. She was just so stunned that she was just standing totally still.

"Blimey, Hermione we did it! He's finally gone for good. Why aren't you jumping for joy!" Ron said loudly with a giant smile on his face. Ron leaned in to kiss Hermione like they did in the Chamber of Secrets. She whipped her head back, shocking her out of the thoughts racing through her mind.

"Bloody hell Mione what's gotten in to you?" Ron said out of pure shock, backing away from her.

"Sorry Ron, I just need some space right now okay." Hermione mumbled as she slowly walked away. Back up the bridge towards Hogwarts, or what was left of it.

Of all the thoughts that Hermione was thinking she couldn't help but think that she was perhaps forgetting something important, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

She pasted a witch that was being helped to probably St. Mangos to receive treatment. Their were about 6 wizards helping the poor witch so Hermione didn't bother to stop she would rather help someone else who didn't have anyone else to help them.

_SEVERUS SNAPE!_

How could she have forgotten him, she promised him that she would be back to help him as soon as she could, after he got bitten by Nagini in the shrieking shack because of the elder wand, which Snape did not possess.

As Hermione was running in the direction of the shrieking shack another thought just ripped through her mind. _What if I am too late? What if he is dead? _

_Merlin! Hermione focus! You need to get to Snape so the worst doesn't happen. Just get to the apparition point and save Snape's life. _

Once Hermione made it to the apparition point she proceeded to quickly apparate to the shrieking shack, telling her-self that she was prepared for whatever state Snape was in.

When Hermione got to the Shrieking shack it took her eyes a few moments to adjust to the dark lighting. Their Snape was lying in the corner just like she and Harry and Ron had left him. He had gotten bitten in the neck so there was blood basically all over him some had dried up, which was not a good sign. His eyes were closed it could be one because he had passed out from the blood loss or because he didn't make it.

"You shouldn't have come back Granger." Severus said in a weak low voice, opening his eyes to half mass out of pure exhaustion. Hermione rushed to his side to properly see what she could do about the situation before her.

"With all do respect Sir, I made a promise to come back and help you and that is what I propose to do with or without your consent." She proceeded to start taking off the jumper to press on his wound to stop the bleeding.

"Mrs. Granger stripping will not solve anything here." Severus rushed out widening his eyes out of pure shock.

"Sweet Merlin, Calm down Snape. I happen to be taking off my jumper to stop the blood seeping from YOUR wound" Hermione snapped back. Severus seemed to deem that answer presentable because he calmed down and didn't give some snarky reply. "Now this may hurt a tad, but I got all of the snake poison out before so your only real concern is dying of blood loss or infection." Hermione said trying to sound at least a little optimistic.

"Oh really that's all?" Severus replied in very heavy Sarcasm.

"Wow can you be more of a snarky git? I am just here trying to save your bloody life for Merlin's sake." Hermione all but shouted back, throwing politeness and manners out the window. She did however get a little pleasure from his flinch when she pressed down the jumper on his neck wound.

"Can safely assume that Voldemort has perished or have you deemed me living above that?" Severus replied with a bit less snarky-ness his voice. Perhaps because of the pain he was going through or maybe because he had actually heard Hermione's last point. _Not bloody likely._

"Yes he is gone and death eaters are getting thrown into Azkaban as we speak. I am fairly certain if people knew were you were you would join them so you should probably keep a low profile. The question is where you shall go?" Hermione rambled on.

"I am not one to runaway from the law, if they want me so be it. I will be a coward no longer." Snape said rather strongly.

"No, I am not letting you go there with your wound like this. I am just going to have to take you somewhere safe and get the equipment to heal your wound myself. That will give us enough time to prove your innocence." Hermione responded rather confidently.

"If this thought hadn't graced your know-it-all mind, you could get caught and get thrown in jail for helping a war criminal." Snape pointed out, seeming to have more energy in his voice.

_Which means this is working, now I just need to get a needle and thread to make this more of a permanent situation and get antibiotics to crush all chances of infection. _

"Well Snape, I don't care what they do to me. You saved me and the boys life to many times for me not to do everything in my power to save yours." Before he had a chance to make some sarcastic reply. Hermione grabbed her wand "Accio Needle and thread." Which came to her at once. "Accio wound cleaner." Which also came.

She then proceeded to take the jumper off the wound and pour the wound cleaner on it. She used the edge of her shirt to wipe the area clean so she could properly stitch up the wound.

"And what pray to tell are you going to do with those?" Snape said looking at the needle and thread with skepticism.

"What do you think I am going to do Snape? Mend the hole in your robe? I am going to stitch your wound up." Hermione snapped. Picking up the needle and thread getting them ready to stitch up the wound.

"I do not believe you are qualified to such things." Snape replied with a quite voice semi-laced with fear.

"What are our other options? I don't see some highly trained medic-witch around to help." Hermione threw back at him. "Lets just do this, I have read about this so I am not completely incompetent." She added trying to be reassuring.

"Fine do what you will, it's not like I have much to loose anyways." Severus responded. "But after you are done, I will go my own way. I will not tarnish your bright future with my dark past." He strongly responded.

"Alright, that seems fair but please keep in mind that you now have a future as well, it can also be bright if you make it such." Hermione murmured quietly.

"Your faith in me is both slightly comforting and incredibly stupid. I am a dammed man Miss Granger that will always be so. No changing what is and has been for so long." Snape replied in defeat.

"There is always room and will for change Sir. Please remember that when on your way." Hermione said keeping a strong eye contact with him.

"If it will stop you're un-useful chatter Granger." Severus went back to being his normal snarky closed off self, but Hermione got a glimpse at the vulnerable sensitive man he was and she would never forget it, for as long as she lived.

"Okay Sir, lets get you stitched up and on your way." Hermione said lifting up the needle and thread prepared to stich him up.

Through the whole process of stitching Severus up they both remained silent, what they had to say had been said there was no use for more. The whole ordeal went by rather quickly, before long Hermione was done.

"There we go, you are all fixed up Sir." Hermione said picking up her things and standing up. Severus seemed to regain all his strength or close to it. For he picked up his want and stood up. He headed for the door in silence Hermione just stood there and watched him leave.

Though at the door way Snape surprised her and turned around…"Thank you Hermione." Was all he said then he was gone in a blur of black robes.

Hermione was left standing alone in shock and in silence.

TBC


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I am in no way J.k Rowling the loveable characters belong to her I am merely just playing with them.

**Btw:** Your follows and reads mean a lot to me. Please feel free to leave reviews and suggestions I will read them all. Also feel free to PM me and I will also answer them as well.

**Chapter 2: 7 months later.**

_Dear Hermione;_

_It has been six months since you left us. I have only seen you two times… I understand that you need your space but please we are all worried about you, consider coming to the Christmas party on Christmas Eve. The remaining people of the order are coming as well as some other people are invited. Anyways consider it._

_Much love._

_-Harry _

_P.s: Severus has been found and brought in for questioning and I have since proved his innocence and is now a free man, living in Spinner's End. Just thought you would like the update. Hope to see you soon. _

Hermione was too shocked to write a reply back to Harry again. Severus was all right. Hermione could not help the relief and joy that rushed though her mind and body. _Why do you care so much! You only saved his life, nothing more. He probably doesn't think of you at all. Why would he? _

Hermione pressed thoughts out of her mind. She just couldn't deal with them at the moment.

Over the last six months many events have taken place. For one Hermione had basically left the wizard world, now this change was not going to be permanent but for this moment in time this is option was deemed the most ideal. She felt she had to take some time of just being a muggle, in the muggle world. As much as she read about being a witch, she knew the simplicities of being a normal muggle more; she liked how simple it was. For one she could go outside and just be known as herself, not of being in the Golden Trio.

Above all though Hermione liked being in control of her life, being the one to choose what she could do next and not have people to judge every decision and move she made.

So for one month after the war Hermione stayed with Ron and Harry. In that month however there were so many funerals and deaths to be mourned. There were witches and wizards everywhere either thinking her as a hero or resenting her for all the deaths that were caused. She also had no time to herself because Ronald failed to leave her alone; she tried the whole kissing, hand holding relationship that he wanted of her. One she had thought she wanted only days before.

Hermione tried to reason with herself that Ronald had lost a brother and would grow less clingy as time went on. Though as more and more time went on he only grew worse, saying they would be forever together and raise lots of children. Its not that Hermione didn't want children it's just that she wanted to make a life for herself before. Wasn't the whole part of winning the war the fact that they had a long bright future ahead of them?

Hermione had gone along with everything in the relationship until Ronald Proposed to her a month after the war. That was the moment when she truly realized how unhappy she was as a whole. She didn't want to crush him in rejection but at the same time needed him to know that she didn't want to marry him and that she thought it would be best that their relationship to cease to exist.

All in all, Ronald felt betrayed and there was a giant outbreak fallowing. That is when Hermione decided it would be best for her and everyone involved if she just disappeared. Even with Harry's pleas for her to stay.

She moved into a quaint one-bedroom apartment in a nice rural area outside of London, Started to work as a waitress in a nice comfy coffee shop. She also started to take an English class at a community collage near by, so at least she was gaining some level of knowledge from the experience.

Hermione's life had changed a lot but for one she believed for the better. There was one aspect of her that did not change she still had dreams about a long dark haired man with a very cold shadowed personality running off into the night without so much as a good bye.

As much as Hermione told herself she was being daft, Severus Snape was almost always on her mind. As much as she hated to admit the snarky professor had a place of worry in her mind. It's not that she particularly cared for the professor she did however feel responsible and also a high level of respect for him.

Hermione's mind snapped back to reality when the alarm went off that she had to head off to work for her shift. The coffee shop where Hermione worked was only a quick 10-minute walk from where she lived, which is one of the qualities, which made the job ideal. She also didn't really need any other qualifications for the job, besides showing up on time and doing the job well.

Hermione's employers knew her name and that she took the job seriously. That's all they really needed and wanted to know.

When she got to the shop perfectly on time, she went into the back to grab her nametag and apron. Then she went to the front counter to check in. Once done, she grabbed her tray to go take orders.

This went on normally the whole day till 20 minutes from closing. There was nobody at the tables so Hermione started to wipe them down and put the chairs up. She was so entrapped in what she was doing and in thought, that she didn't see one lone lady enter the shop and take a seat at a table in the window. Once she realized the occurrence she picked up her tray and rushed over.

"Hello, is there anything I can get you?" Hermione asked nicely, as she was coming up from the behind the woman.

"Hello, Miss. Granger." The woman replied in a stern yet soft manner. Of which the voice of someone Hermione could never forget.

"Professor McGonagall." Hermione replied shocked into silence yet again that day.

TBC


End file.
